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2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Here's what Harry Reid REALLY just wrote about Trump and Putin. (It will make you feel better) [View all]ColemanMaskell
(783 posts)17. Here's a link to the entire text of Reid's letter, on his own website:
http://www.reid.senate.gov/press_releases/2016-10-30-in-letter-reid-says-comey-may-have-broken-the-law#.WBbQ1i0rLZ4
IN LETTER, REID SAYS COMEY MAY HAVE BROKEN THE LAW
October 30, 2016 | Press Releases
Reid says Comeys clear double standard on publicizing sensitive information violates Hatch Act prohibition against using official authority to influence elections.
Las Vegas, NV Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid sent the following letter to Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey today:
Dear Director Comey:
Your actions in recent months have demonstrated a disturbing double standard for the treatment of sensitive information, with what appears to be a clear intent to aid one political party over another. I am writing to inform you that my office has determined that these actions may violate the Hatch Act, which bars FBI officials from using their official authority to influence an election. Through your partisan actions, you may have broken the law.
The double standard established by your actions is clear.
In my communications with you and other top officials in the national security community, it has become clear that you possess explosive information about close ties and coordination between Donald Trump, his top advisors, and the Russian government a foreign interest openly hostile to the United States, which Trump praises at every opportunity. The public has a right to know this information. I wrote to you months ago calling for this information to be released to the public. There is no danger to American interests from releasing it. And yet, you continue to resist calls to inform the public of this critical information.
By contrast, as soon as you came into possession of the slightest innuendo related to Secretary Clinton, you rushed to publicize it in the most negative light possible.
Moreover, in tarring Secretary Clinton with thin innuendo, you overruled longstanding tradition and the explicit guidance of your own Department. You rushed to take this step eleven days before a presidential election, despite the fact that for all you know, the information you possess could be entirely duplicative of the information you already examined which exonerated Secretary Clinton.
As you know, a memo authored by Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates on March 10, 2016, makes clear that all Justice Department employees, including you, are subject to the Hatch Act. The memo defines the political activity prohibited under the Hatch Act as activity directed towards the success or failure of a political party, candidate for partisan political office, or partisan political group.
The clear double-standard established by your actions strongly suggests that your highly selective approach to publicizing information, along with your timing, was intended for the success or failure of a partisan candidate or political group.
Please keep in mind that I have been a supporter of yours in the past. When Republicans filibustered your nomination and delayed your confirmation longer than any previous nominee to your position, I led the fight to get you confirmed because I believed you to be a principled public servant.
With the deepest regret, I now see that I was wrong.
Sincerely,
Senator Harry Reid
A PDF copy of the letter is available here: http://www.reid.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Letter-to-Director-Comey-10_30_2016.pdf
IN LETTER, REID SAYS COMEY MAY HAVE BROKEN THE LAW
October 30, 2016 | Press Releases
Reid says Comeys clear double standard on publicizing sensitive information violates Hatch Act prohibition against using official authority to influence elections.
Las Vegas, NV Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid sent the following letter to Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey today:
Dear Director Comey:
Your actions in recent months have demonstrated a disturbing double standard for the treatment of sensitive information, with what appears to be a clear intent to aid one political party over another. I am writing to inform you that my office has determined that these actions may violate the Hatch Act, which bars FBI officials from using their official authority to influence an election. Through your partisan actions, you may have broken the law.
The double standard established by your actions is clear.
In my communications with you and other top officials in the national security community, it has become clear that you possess explosive information about close ties and coordination between Donald Trump, his top advisors, and the Russian government a foreign interest openly hostile to the United States, which Trump praises at every opportunity. The public has a right to know this information. I wrote to you months ago calling for this information to be released to the public. There is no danger to American interests from releasing it. And yet, you continue to resist calls to inform the public of this critical information.
By contrast, as soon as you came into possession of the slightest innuendo related to Secretary Clinton, you rushed to publicize it in the most negative light possible.
Moreover, in tarring Secretary Clinton with thin innuendo, you overruled longstanding tradition and the explicit guidance of your own Department. You rushed to take this step eleven days before a presidential election, despite the fact that for all you know, the information you possess could be entirely duplicative of the information you already examined which exonerated Secretary Clinton.
As you know, a memo authored by Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates on March 10, 2016, makes clear that all Justice Department employees, including you, are subject to the Hatch Act. The memo defines the political activity prohibited under the Hatch Act as activity directed towards the success or failure of a political party, candidate for partisan political office, or partisan political group.
The clear double-standard established by your actions strongly suggests that your highly selective approach to publicizing information, along with your timing, was intended for the success or failure of a partisan candidate or political group.
Please keep in mind that I have been a supporter of yours in the past. When Republicans filibustered your nomination and delayed your confirmation longer than any previous nominee to your position, I led the fight to get you confirmed because I believed you to be a principled public servant.
With the deepest regret, I now see that I was wrong.
Sincerely,
Senator Harry Reid
A PDF copy of the letter is available here: http://www.reid.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Letter-to-Director-Comey-10_30_2016.pdf
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Here's what Harry Reid REALLY just wrote about Trump and Putin. (It will make you feel better) [View all]
Fahrenthold451
Oct 2016
OP
Wow! - and thank you for your insightful comments and cross examining skillset
Farmgirl1961
Oct 2016
#2
Yes- this letter of Harry Reid's is extraordinary; perfectly worded, formatted, and arranged.
NBachers
Oct 2016
#10
Dirty Secret--I kinda can't stand lawyers. Try to avoid them after work at all cost
Fahrenthold451
Oct 2016
#14
So the conservative R director of the F.B.I. is withholding intel about Trump's direct Russian ties?
ffr
Oct 2016
#21
This must not be the party of Reagan then. They must be the Communist American Party
ffr
Oct 2016
#27
SRN news on the local station in heavily GOP county that rebuked Michael Moore for his documentary,
Divine Discontent
Oct 2016
#36
This information that Reid discusses makes Comey complicit with whatever it is that Trump is
world wide wally
Oct 2016
#40